Disqualified Oscar Nominee Speaks Out

Earlier this week, the Academy made the exceedingly rare decision to revoke one of this year’s Oscar nominations—rescinding the best-song nomination for the little-seen, faith-based film Alone Yet Not Alone after it was discovered that its songwriter, former governor of the Academy’s music branch Bruce Broughton, “had emailed members of the branch to make them aware of his submission during the nominations voting period.” In his first interview since the humiliating decision, Broughton discusses how he is left feeling “devastated, disappointment, [and] dejected”—and still does not see anything wrong with what he did.

Broughten tells CBS News’s Ben Tracy, “I didn’t ask anybody to vote for it. I didn’t do any promotion about the film. I didn’t do anything that I understood the rules to exclude.” CBS has also published a copy of the carefully worded e-mail that Broughton reportedly sent to 70 Academy voters. In the e-mail, Broughton explains that he is only reaching out to voters because “it is extremely unlikely that this small, independent, faith-based film will be seen by any Music Branch member.” Broughton also notes that his letter is merely “a request ‘For Your Consideration,’ a hope that the song will get noticed and be remembered among the many worthy songs from more highly visible films.”

CBS reports that the Academy does not in fact “prohibit sending emails or even the more aggressive ‘for your consideration’ ads all over Hollywood this time of year.” In the Academy’s press release earlier this week, it explained that it had decided to disqualify Broughton because “using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage.” Yet Broughton tells CBS, “I don’t have any position at the Academy. I haven’t been an Academy governor for almost two years.”

Broughton also gives some sound bites on how hurt he is feeling by the whole turn of events. Asked whether he feels as if he has been kicked in the shins, he says, “Well, the shins and other places. Yes.” And in case you are wondering, Broughton is most definitely not going to attend the Oscars next month. “There’s nothing in it for me. . . Why would I do that? It’s like going to have dinner with your ex-girlfriend’s family.”

Although other Oscar nominations have been revoked in the past, the Los Angeles Timesnotes that this is the first time in Academy history that a nomination has been rescinded on ethical grounds.